Garry Artman: Convicted Florida killer confesses to murdering 11 women in a deathbed revelation

KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN: Garry Artman, a convicted murderer admitted to murdering 11 women during a deathbed confession days before his death due to lung cancer.

Artman, who was serving time for the 1996 murder of Sharon Hammack in Grand Rapids, Michigan, confessed to ten additional killings he was never charged with, according to ABC News.

Who was Garry Artman?

Artman, a Florida long-haul truck driver made his deathbed confession from a prison hospital in Michigan. He revealed to authorities that 10 of the 11 slayings occurred in Grand Rapids.

Speaking to WOOD-TV, Kent County Sheriff's Office Lt Eric Brunner said, “Our investigative team met with him three times prior to his death to see if there’s any information or case facts they could glean to help solve some of these unsolved murders and missing people."

"What we can say is just that those three times were fruitful, to an extent," he continued.

"And we’re trying to further help bring closure to these families that potentially have been impacted over these last many years by these unsolved cases," he further said.

"So that is our hope, but there’s still a handful of work to be done," Brunner added.

How did Garry Artman murder Sharon Hammack?

In connection to the murder of Hammack in 1996, Artman was convicted and he also admitted to the killing of Dusty Shuck, 24.

On May 4, 2006, Shuck's body was found near a truck stop. She was discovered stabbed and beaten to death. Despite finding a link to her murder through DNA, Artman's terminal cancer diagnosis had ruled out the possibility of a trial. 

"She was an amazing soul. She was good inside and out," said Shuck’s mother Lori Kreutzer.

Kreutzer shared that Artman was expected to die in mid-December as he had been in a coma. However, before his death at the age of 66 on December 28, he came out of the coma and confessed to the murders.

"It was a miracle. … divine intervention. So at least he did that," Kreutzer added. The victims, including Hammack and Shuck, were among the 17 women who were found dead or went missing between 1993 and 1996 in Grand Rapids.

Currently, detectives are comparing the details given by Artman before his death to the cold cases to bring closure to the families.

"Any time we investigate these cases, we cannot forget the impact that has on a victim’s family," stated Lt Brunner. "Someone that’s had a loved one go missing or murdered a long time ago… it’s just a huge loss and then to not have answers on top of that," he added.

"So, our investigators feel that burden as well when they look into these cases to try to help bring closure to these families," he further stated.

"Obviously, Mr Artman has passed away, so some people are going to have differing emotions about that. But, to bring closure to these families even beyond his death, that is their goal" he continued.